Maine paddlers seek new boating opportunities

Maine kayactivists, donned in their PFDs, converged on a meeting in Westbrook this week to demand that plans to decommission a dam on the Presumpscot River include effective fish passage and high quality boating opportunities. The dam is being decommissioned by SAPPI Fine Paper who owns and operated a hydropower dam there. SAPPI, who has resisted efforts to provide effective passage for two decades until the U.S. Supreme Court ordered them to do so, will be removing the dam, installing fish passage, and restoring the river. Working with the local community, boaters want SAPPI to restore the river by providing the most effective fish passage that will also allow for the enjoyment of boating opportunities at Saccarrappa Falls where the dam is located. Several design alternatives are being considered, and boaters are working with conservation groups to find the best design.